A-4 Skyhawk History

From Wikipedia:

The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a single seat subsonic carrier-capable attack aircraft developed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps in the early 1950s. The delta winged, single turbojet engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later by McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated A4D under the U.S. Navy's pre-1962 designation system.

The Skyhawk is a relatively lightweight aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight of 24,500 pounds (11,100 kg) and has a top speed of more than 670 miles per hour (1,080 km/h). The aircraft's five hardpoints support a variety of missiles, bombs and other munitions. It was capable of carrying a bomb load equivalent to that of a World War II-era Boeing B-17 bomber, and could deliver nuclear weapons using a low altitude bombing system and a "loft" delivery technique. The A-4 was originally powered by the Wright J65 turbojet engine; from the A-4E onwards, the Pratt & Whitney J52 was used.

Skyhawks played key roles in the Vietnam War, the Yom Kippur War, and the Falklands War. Sixty years after the aircraft's first flight, some of the nearly 3,000 produced remain in service with several air arms around the world, including from the Brazilian Navy's aircraft carrier, São Paulo.

A-4E Skyhawk #151194 History

Dates: Assigned To: Location:
Dec 1964 Acceptance date at Long Beach, CA
1-2-65 to 2-28-65 VA 164 Lemoore
2-28-65 to 11-28-65 NAS Cubi Point
1-28-65 to 1-10-66 VA 164 Aboard USS Constellation
1-10-66 to 4-29-66 VA 56 Aboard USS Ticonderoga #22
4-29-66 to 6-9-66 VA 56 Lemoore
6-9-66 to 8-5-66 VA 56 Aboard USS Enterprise
8-5-66 to 5-18-67 VA 192 Lemoore
5-18-67 to 6-16-67 NAS Sugi Costa Sugi Costa
6-16-67 to 9-29-67 VA 212 Aboard USS Bon Homme Richard #3
9-29-67 to 6-11-68 VA 164 Aboard USS Handcock
6-11-68 to 6-18-68 VA 164 Fallon NV
6-18-68 to 4-21-69 VA 44 Cecil Field
4-21-69 to 2-18-72 VA 127 Lemoore
2-18-72 to 10-76 VC 1 Barbers Point
10-76 to 3-77 VC 1 North Island
3-77 to 8-77 VC 1 Pensacola
8-77 to 3-79 VC 2 Oceana
3-79 to 9-79 MARTD Willow Grove Willow Grove
9-79 to 8-80 HMS 49 DT Willow Grove Willow Grove
8-80 to 8-81 HMS 49 DT Willow Grove Pensacola
8-81 to 9-84 HMS 49 DT Willow Grove Willow Grove
9-84 to 9-87 MAG 49 DT Willow Grove Willow Grove
9-87 VC 12 Oceana

Note: Aggressor squadron markings on top of vertical stabilizer, Red Star.
Note: "VMA-131" on aircraft - not listed above.

A-4E Skyhawk Specifications

Dimensions & Weights
Wingspan

27 ft, 6 in (8.38 m)

Length

40ft 4in (12.29 m) excluding refueling probe

Height

15 ft, 10 in (4.57 m)

Wing area

260 sq ft (24.16 sq  m)

Empty Weight

10,800 lb (4,899 kg)

Maximum Takeoff Weight

24,500 lb (11,113 kg)

Accommodation

One (pilot)

Performance
Maximum speed

1,040 mph (646 kmh) with 4,000lb (1,814 kg) bomb load

Initial climb rate

10,300ft ft/min (3,140 m/min)

Range

2,000 miles (3,220 km) with maximum fuel

Powerplant

One 11,200 lb (5,080kg ) Pratt & Whitney J52-P-408 turbojet

Armament

Fixed: Two Mk 12 20mm cannon with 200 rounds per gun in the wing roots

Disposable: This is carried on one under fuselage hardpoint, rated at 3,500 lb (1,588 kg), and on four underwing hardpoints, the inner pair each rated at 2,250 lb (1,021 kg) and the outer pair each at 1,000 lb (454 kg); a great variety of weapon loads can be carried, including nuclear bombs, the Mk 84 2,000 lb (907 kg) bomb, the Mk 83 1,000 lb (454kg) free-fall or retarded bomb, the Mk 82 500 lb (227 kg) free-fall or retarded bomb, the Mk 81 250 lb (113 kg) free-fall or retarded bomb, the LAU-3/A launcher with 19 2.75 inch (69.85mm) rockets, the LAU-10/A launcher with four 5 inch (127mm) rockets.

Electronics and Operational Equipment

Communication and navigation equipment, plus Bendix automatic flight control, Marconi AN/AVQ-24 head-up display, Texas Instruments AN/AJB-3 bombing system, ANIASN-41 navigation computer, AN/APN153(V) radar navigation, and electronic countermeasures.

Crew Chief

Bob George

Aircraft Numbers:

#1

Vietnam deployment, CVW-16, Tailcode AH

#2

Vietnam deployment, CVW-5, Tailcode NF

#3

Vietnam deployment, CVW-21, Tailcode NP

Country of origin

USA

Manufacturer

Douglas

b/n or serial number

151194

type

Carrier borne light attack bomber

ownership

This aircraft is on loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola, Florida.

A FAMILY-FRIENDLY PLACE WITH HISTORY YOU CAN TOUCH!

There’s always something great going on at the Pacific Coast Air Museum. We have Open Cockpit weekends once a month,  special events throughout the year, and regular hot dog lunches. We host school field trips, special group tours, birthday parties, and family get-togethers, all among our collection of historic aircraft and educational exhibits.

VISIT PCAM

you might also like

aircraft sponsors